They came from Los Angeles with Hollywood money and haute cuisine. But four months later, the celebrity proprietors of a glitzy Aspen, Colo., restaurant left in a rush, stiffing workers on their paychecks and leaving suppliers with thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, police say. "They have left owing money," confirmed Aspen police Sgt.

If you're making pizza the traditional way--in the oven--a baking stone makes all the difference in quality. The stone simulates the inside of a professional pizza oven right in your own home. The bottom of the crust rests directly on the hearth, which eliminates any possibility of an underdone bottom and ensures even crispness. You can't ask for anything better than that. Pizza stones, which are now widely available in department stores and cookware shops, are really large ceramic tiles.

If you're making pizza the traditional way--in the oven--a baking stone makes all the difference in quality. The stone simulates the inside of a professional pizza oven right in your own home. The bottom of the crust rests directly on the hearth, which eliminates any possibility of an underdone bottom and ensures even crispness. You can't ask for anything better than that. Pizza stones, which are now widely available in department stores and cookware shops, are really large ceramic tiles.

They came from Los Angeles with Hollywood money and haute cuisine. But four months later, the celebrity proprietors of a glitzy Aspen, Colo., restaurant left in a rush, stiffing workers on their paychecks and leaving suppliers with thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, police say. "They have left owing money," confirmed Aspen police Sgt.

I wonder what the neighbors are thinking? Beverly Hills' newest restaurant is not on bustling Bedford, it is not adding to the romance of Rodeo nor to the commercialism of Canon. It is, in fact, tucked away on sleepy Maple Drive, where people looking out of their bedroom windows can watch the Rollses rolling in. Maple Drive the restaurant, 345 N. Maple Drive; (213) 274-9800, is anything but sleepy.

Division III La Habra Sonora 5, Newbury Park 3--Michelle Miller drove in the winning run in the sixth inning with her second double at Sonora. Carrie Wiesen (18-8) pitched a three-hitter and did not allow an earned run for Sonora (22-10). Chrissy Zappia (9-4) took the loss in relief of Katie Stokx for Newbury Park (21-11), which tied the score, 3-3, with a three-run fifth inning. Robyn Wike had two hits and one run batted in for the Panthers.

When Julie Stone graduated from Culver City High School in 1969, she began waitressing at Al's Kitchen on the pier in Santa Monica. Today, at 35, Stone is a co-owner and manager of 72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill, a popular restaurant in Santa Monica. Her partners include actor Dudley Moore and director-producer Tony Bill. And one of the investors in the business is Liza Minelli. For years, Stone enjoyed being a waitress, with no thought of switching into restaurant management.

I am here today to inform you that the haute cuisine at L.A.'s newest in place is meat loaf. It is a meat loaf of high appeal to be sure, not just a few things your mother used to slap together, but it is meat loaf nonetheless, with spinach and mashed potatoes. I hate spinach. I had not exactly anticipated dining on whole suckling pig when I swung by a restaurant called 72 Market Street, but I did expect something less plebeian than what they eat on Tuesday nights in Omaha.

Maple Drive in Beverly Hills was opened last year by three of the principals at 72 Market Street in Venice--Dudley Moore, Tony Bill and Julie Stone--together with 72 Market executive chef Leonard Schwartz and a group of investors headed by MGM/UA president/CEO Jeffrey Barbakow. Though Stone and Schwartz remained associated with 72, both devoted most of their time to Maple Drive in its early months of business, and the two restaurants were widely viewed as siblings.

One of producer Tony Bill's best-known films is "The Sting." Now, reports have his 72 Market Street restaurant in Venice being stung for $190. The story starts with the May seizure by Colorado officials of the restaurant 72 Aspen in the famed ski resort. The restaurant failed to pay more than $30,000 in sales taxes. Workers were left being owed thousands of dollars in back pay, which infuriated Aspen city officials. The restaurant was loosely affiliated with 72 Market Street.

It's Over, Jim: After 20 years of business, Jimmy's in Beverly Hills is closing. Does that mean the "we're closing for renovation" story the owners ran by us in late July was, well, a fib? No. Apparently, remodeling was more trouble than expected, so instead of reopening in October as planned, the venerable industry hangout will remain closed forever. Owner Jimmy Murphy says: "Dining in an elegant setting is not what it used to be. It seems to be trendier.

As was reported in this column not long ago, it has been something of a trend in Los Angeles recently for restaurants on the east side of town to open branches or associated places on the Westside--Melrose Avenue's Angeli spreading its wings with Trattoria Angeli in West Los Angeles, for instance. Now, though, comes word that one of the hottest and most typically Westside of all L.A.